Best 3rd Level Debuffs

[ZhanStrider]

Alright guys,

What are some good ways a level 5 wizard can drop a foe's AC? our party has a boss with AC 30 and no one can hit it without a nat 20.

Also in the party: a Paladin (level 4) a Bard (level 3) a Gish-type (Swordsage 2/Sorcerer 3) a monk (Level 5) and a ranged Fighter (level 5).

It has a lot of energy resistance, so our spells (the Sorcs and Mine) dont work so good.

Any way for us to drop it's AC to a manageable 25-26?

[Nifft]

Grease might remove all of its Dex & Dodge bonuses to AC, and render it easy to sneak-attack.

Phantasmal Assailants (SpC) hits for 8 Dex damage (or 4 on a save), and the same Wisdom damage. That's -4 AC (or -2 AC).

Slow imposes a -1 AC and reduces its actions.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Empowered Ray of Clumsiness (SpC) would be 3rd level for 1.5 x (1d6 +1/2 CL, max +5) dexterity penalty, no save.

If the AC is from magical buffs, a simple Dispel Magic may be the best debuff of all. Of course, Arcane Turmoil (C.Mage) is lower level and does the same thing as a targeted dispel, plus a will save or lose a spell slot (if the target has any spells).

It's a cleric spell, not wizard. And it won't reduce AC. But Mark of Doom from PHB 2 can be excellent when it's easier to let a foe kill himself than it is for you to do so. Target takes 1d6 untyped damage for every attack he makes (so it's best on foes w/ lots of natural attacks) and there is no save nor SR to resist it! Turtle up and beat the NPC at his own game w/ a rope 'a dope strategy. It's only round/level, so if you have a lesser extend rod...use it.

[ZhanStrider]

Empowered Ray of Clumsiness (SpC) would be 3rd level for 1.5 x (1d6 +1/2 CL, max +5) dexterity penalty, no save.

If the AC is from magical buffs, a simple Dispel Magic may be the best debuff of all. Of course, Arcane Turmoil (C.Mage) is lower level and does the same thing as a targeted dispel, plus a will save or lose a spell slot (if the target has any spells).

It's a cleric spell, not wizard. And it won't reduce AC. But Mark of Doom from PHB 2 can be excellent when it's easier to let a foe kill himself than it is for you to do so. Target takes 1d6 untyped damage for every attack he makes (so it's best on foes w/ lots of natural attacks) and there is no save nor SR to resist it! Turtle up and beat the NPC at his own game w/ a rope 'a dope strategy. It's only round/level, so if you have a lesser extend rod...use it.

Thanks! Ray of Clumsiness is JUST what we need!

[Windrammer]

Alright guys,

What are some good ways a level 5 wizard can drop a foe's AC? our party has a boss with AC 30 and no one can hit it without a nat 20.

Also in the party: a Paladin (level 4) a Bard (level 3) a Gish-type (Swordsage 2/Sorcerer 3) a monk (Level 5) and a ranged Fighter (level 5).

It has a lot of energy resistance, so our spells (the Sorcs and Mine) dont work so good.

Any way for us to drop it's AC to a manageable 25-26?

Targeting Ray will give everyone a free +2 to hit against it, an Empowered Ray of Clumsiness only needs a hit on touch ac to do an average of 9 dex damage.

Or, dare I mention... Shivering Touch...


Do you know anything about this monster's saves or touch or flat footed AC? There's loads more that you could do.

[Starbuck_II]

Alright guys,

What are some good ways a level 5 wizard can drop a foe's AC? our party has a boss with AC 30 and no one can hit it without a nat 20.

Also in the party: a Paladin (level 4) a Bard (level 3) a Gish-type (Swordsage 2/Sorcerer 3) a monk (Level 5) and a ranged Fighter (level 5).

It has a lot of energy resistance, so our spells (the Sorcs and Mine) dont work so good.

Any way for us to drop it's AC to a manageable 25-26?
Curse of impending Blades? -2 AC, but not possible to dispel (as it is a curse).

[Baroknik]

Though it's only level 2, glitterdust will cause the blinded status which not only invokes a 50% miss chance, but also denied dexterity to AC, gives a -2 to AC, and forces a target to move at half speed...

[ZhanStrider]

Though it's only level 2, glitterdust will cause the blinded status which not only invokes a 50% miss chance, but also denied dexterity to AC, gives a -2 to AC, and forces a target to move at half speed...

That's crazy good

[ZhanStrider]

Targeting Ray will give everyone a free +2 to hit against it, an Empowered Ray of Clumsiness only needs a hit on touch ac to do an average of 9 dex damage.

Or, dare I mention... Shivering Touch...


Do you know anything about this monster's saves or touch or flat footed AC? There's loads more that you could do.

It's got a natural armor of 9 and a dex of 32.

Currently, the plan is to Diplomacy a druid NPC to come along to deal with minions, buy potions of True Strike and True Casting, and the Sorc and Wizard will just spam "Ray of Clumsiness" until everyone can hit it. Then the paladin and the monk can just pummel it.

[BowStreetRunner]

...the Sorc and Wizard will just spam "Ray of Clumsiness" until everyone can hit it...
Just remember that Ray of Clumsiness does not stack with another Ray of Clumsiness. See here. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/castingSpells.htm#stackingEffects) The PHB version of that rule specifically mentions the Ray of Enfeeblement spell as an example. Hitting it more than once is only going to create overlapping effects.

[ZhanStrider]

Just remember that Ray of Clumsiness does not stack with another Ray of Clumsiness. See here. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/castingSpells.htm#stackingEffects) The PHB version of that rule specifically mentions the Ray of Enfeeblement spell as an example. Hitting it more than once is only going to create overlapping effects.

Touche. will Shivering Touch and Ray of Clumsiness stack?

[Baroknik]

Touche. will Shivering Touch and Ray of Clumsiness stack?

They should, but I would suggest looking into Glitterdust, as it actually will have a larger effect, seeing as it has a DEX of 32, unless you can get a penalty >22 on the beast, blinded will effectively drop it's AC by 11 + 2 due to the penalty (so 13 net AC penalty).

That is, unless it isn't reliant on sight and/or has some other way to keep DEX to AC when blinded.

[AnonymousPepper]

You can also basically neuter the guy with Slow. The BBEG only having a standard or a move gives the rest of the party plenty of space with which to work. Also gives a minor negative to AC.